







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| What kind of music do you like the most? | |
| Hmm, I guess it's a bit old, but it's still my favourite. | |
| But sometimes I feel guilty not being there! | |
| Maybe they prefer electric stoves in shared houses for safety reasons. | |
| Is it possible to move in tomorrow? | |
| That's nice, what do you usually cook? | |
| His name's Sergio. | |
| I didn't know that, I hope it's not serious. | |
| Ta-ta here it is... | |
| Really? I don't want to ruin your plan, but... | |
| I think 4000 quid is big enough. | |
| Um, on this floor, it's only me and a French girl next door. | |
| I'm a web designer. | |
| But Bear has got hip dysplasia. | |
| He just moved from Brighton and lives around here. | |
| There are plenty more, but I think gumtree.com is the best. | |
| He is one of my best friends, unfortunately. | |
| Are you the only smoker in the house? | |
| How old do I look? | |
| Sorry, I don't have much time, can I tell you the story when I'm back? | |